Extensible and retractable draft hitch



l ug- 3 1948 H. R. FORNEY EXTENSIBL AND RETRACTABLE DRAFT HITCH Filed July 13, 1945 mvo @QW ATTORNEY@ Patented Aug. 3, 1948 EXTENSIBLE IANDsRETRfAQTMIJE l l HITCIL Hernani-Forney, Surprise-Neuf. e Applicatinfllllyl, 1945,3,591134135 ".Qi'Oe 'Thisfinvention relates tto draft hithes an@ more particularly to `such` devices for` coupling trailers to tractorsand the flike.

`An; object .of the invention lisfto 1Apnodiil?ii simple yet-` practicalA draftv4 hitch of an extensible and retractible type which is `nut- 01,11314 of :61111916 constructionand embodying@ `minimunL l-rnnnber of parts but one possessing lstrcngthfandfdlllafbility-and isadjustedendlapplied with lease and.

FgUraZJis alongitudinai section ,on fthe'jlinc` 2-11 ofv Figurel; l i

:Figure 31s across section, on ancnlaigcdescalc, taken on on about. the line313 offligure 12; `:and FgureA is across sectional View; taken ,on `or aboutthe line 1l-4 oi'Egurc2- Referring now to the drawings. in detaiLjne numeral 5 designates, jgenerally, theliiteh de- Vice in itsuentirety. As shown, the ldevice comprises `an outer elongatedtubular memberj in which is ttedgan, inner elongated tubular member "1. YSaid, inner tubular member'l is V slidjafnle longitudinaljlyin said outer tubular member 6, said'members 6 and"'|,bef1n g,of any desirable-cross sectional form. As shown; they are of rectangularjeross section (see Figures 13 and 4)and,for practical purposes, they ,are preferably. 0f i this forrnbut the same may be obviouslymadeyinany other angular cross sectional lform or of around form.

' lThe inner tubular member 1` is provided in one side -Wallportion with` an elongated longitudinal slot `tlf-which terminates at one end in-proxifnity to'l the inner end of said inner tubularmember 1, `esistiti, the opposite end of said slot il-terrninal'.-` ing, as -at -QQadjaeent to the outer -end 'of said inner-tubef1-but ata fdistance more vrenrioteefrom the adjacent end ofthe tmbetl'lan` said-opposite endlportionigfof the slot terminates withrela' tion-to the Iinner endof thetube.

Suitable means isprovided on said outerftube 6 t-o -eooperate vwith saidslotted portion` 8 of said immer` tube 1 so asf to limit the-outermostposition the www@ lteren 'q wreed iishtaseia the w tubular-member elementi-in thV 4 'forxixl-eifra Y in ,Y rediiycmiicdwcfandf-remre, from-recueil@ the -Houter tub agr niember1=`6 'f-when desired or necessary. `f

It is here notedlthatffonthe use-ofthe incouplingaftrailen toratqforthei eythe outer-'ftubular :peni-her isipovidedetait fouten endwwlthjya.` devis lfor enti connecte 'element lf3 of @any1 conventionalmor-fl, approved form andi-provided-:with a detachalclevlieltl i532 flhesoutenend portionfnfY said inneri tulzvu-lan member-.1, #which is opposite tosthe-'outenendof= said tubular-.'niemben his `:also f provided with lan end Llattchingullele.- ment; fAs-shown, vthisparticularuitaehingnele ment,fdesignetedsbmthe numeral t4, isfpreduced byeuttingawaymppositesidewall p ortionsmf .the protruding send portion .not` saidzfinner tubular member 1, f leaning i `tywo opposed plate-portions which are fprfovidedawith :alignedapertures for thereeeption: of= a"detaehab1e holt M A collar l5 is sleeved nn-theoutenendfportipn of `saidid1un-:rf:tubular \1-member:i1 and as ned thereto in :zany-:gappryedl manner,A sueheas `y..a Weldingiwto onshrinkingi the#collarv onnsailii-t` uhular` member-Neon obyiously-hynrivetfirig forastening the same 1 :in` ,plae'e by-.fa screwelementyor. etnenwise.l Thiszparticularfleature of then-structureffbeingcconventional@andl-obviousifthe saine `is not illustrated .-indetaili in the cdxyavqlings;4

ITlae provision 1^ -of ssaid collar I .li lon w the a end portion-of said-A ner l tubular memberi Tijs. torniferd @ai thrustfsboulder 1tciabut l against tlieadujacenti-inner endapci'tion offsaid-outerv tubular moved to its fully closed position telescopically within said outer tubular member.

Directly and transversely opposite the outer end portion of the longitudinal slot 8 of said inner tubular member 1 is a circular opening I6 to receive the end portion I1 of a latch bolt I8 which is tted slidably in a corresponding opening I9 providedin iI;he, .adjacent.wall portion of said o uter tubular member 6'., 'Infthis connection; it ishere'` noted that the opening I9 receives the end portion I1 of said latch bolt I 8 with a comparatively tight sliding t, but the opening I6 `in the wall portion of said inner tubular member'1 is of a` somewhat bracketieleme'nt. Q This spring' 26 fis` vconstantly under tension and reacts to'force said latch bolt l `I 8 with its end portion I 1' in the registering openlarger diameter and said opening I6 is correlated to the inner end of said collar I5 Vso that, when said collar I5 is in contact with the adjacent end of said outer tubular member 6,' said opening I6 which is slightly enlarged as compared to they opening I9 in the outer tubular member 1 is positioned so that the bolt .I 8 readily enters said opening I6; i In this connectiomitis also noted' that said latch bolt "Isis supported and slides longitudinally in anaperture corresponding in size to the aperture I 9 and located in alignment with' said opening I9` in` the oppositewall portion of said tubular memberr 6. Itis. also further noted that the end portion 9 `of said slot 8 of the inner' tubular'member 'I AisI correlatedfa'nd aligned with the opening I6 of `said innerl tubular member so that, when said tubular member 1 isin its innermost position with the collar I5 thereof Aabutting the adjacentfend. o ffsaid outer tubular member 6, there is ampley clearance between said end portion 9 of the slot8 and the adjacent portion of the latch bolt I8l so as to avoid any bindingupon saiddatcljlv boltv I 8. Adjacent the inner` end of said inner tubular member1 there-is provided an aperture Icorresponding in size to the aperture I6 at the outer end portion of s aidtubular member 1,:which latteraperture 20 is brought into a position to register with the` opening `I9 inthe outer tubular member 6 when said innentubular member 1 is broughtto its outermost extended position and the inner end portion 9 otits slot 8 is/broughtI against said stop bolt-y I0. l v M .-By vthe provision oi'these apertures yI6 and` 20 in said innertubular member 1, said tubular member,;when inits yinnermost, retracted position asdshown in-Figure 2, said latchbolt I8is projected. through the aligned'openings I6 and I9 and:` said, inner; tubular member :ls thus held against loutward movement in ,said outer :tubularmember; By the-same token, when said inner tubularmember'Tis withdrawn in the outer tubularmember to its fully extended position, .said aperture 28 is brought into registration with said aperture I9'andthe end portion I1 of said latch bolt I8 is projected therethrough, thus effectively holding said .inner tubular member 'I `from further outward oraninward movement in said outer tubular members. I -While the latch bolt I8 may be manipulated in any'desirable manner for its placement in and removal from holding relation -in the respective apertures- I6, I9 and 28, as just hereinabove de scribed,y special provision forthe release of said latch bolt I8 by an operator-at aplace on the tractor and some distance remote from the latch bolt I8, is illustrated in the drawings. lfAslsl'iown, f'.

said latch bolt I8 ies-extended some distance outward beyond the adjacent side of saidouter tubular member 6 where it is provided at its end with aloop or eye 2|.". 'The portion ofthe latch bolt I8 between its end having the loop oreye 2|. anda transverse pin 2|' projected diametrically on 0pings I6 and I9 or the openings 28 and I9, as the case may be. Y As above stated, this latch bolt I8 as thus mounted and spring urged, may be retracted in any manner and manually at that. However, to

` cause the release of the latch bolt from its hold- 1ingengagement in the aforesaid apertures in the 'tubular body members 6 and 1, by an operator 38. y`As shown, this eyefor-grommet is slightly,

elongatedwith respect to the` axis of its opening, Whichopening is flared at its opposite ends and restricted intermediateits ends with a smooth and rounded surface throughout, and said opening `being in axial alignment with the adjacent end portion of said latch bolt I8. A shortsection of chain or a relatively strong and durable exl ibleelement 3B which will withstand Wear'caused by movementof said element throughsaid grom-` met 30 is attached at one endto the loop V'or Keye 2| ofsaidlatch bolt I8 and at its opposite end `to,

a cord, 'rope or flexible wire element 32, which flexible element is of a length to be extendedto within reach of the operator on the tractor. `-`By,

this provision, the latch bolt I8 may be' released from its locking position with respect tothe outer andinner tubular members 6 and 1 at a distance remote therefrom, if desired, or, an operatorlmay manipulate said latch bolt I8 from a positionfin close proximity to4 the same.

In the use of the hitch device of the present invention', the latch bolt I8 is released from its holding relation to said tubular members 6 and 1, at vwhich time the trailer to behitched to the tractor .may be located atma considerable distance fromthe tractor, of course, within the length of the fully extended hitch device, and after the clevises or end attaching elements I3 andI4 are connected respectively to the trailer and the tractor, if the latch bolt I8 should be in itsv locklatch bolt is accordingly released,vwhich release ing position with relation to the rear aperture 20 of the innertubular member and the registered aperture I9 ofthe outer tubular member, the

maybe effected bythe operator on the tractor through the medium of the pull cord 32,where upong the operator, causes the tractor to move backward and thus telescopes the inner tubular member 1 into the outer tubular member 46 and upon said inner tubular member 1 reaching its innermost position in the outer tubular member 6 the latch bolt I8 is automatically snapped, under thepressure of the spring element 26 into its locking engagement in'the apertures I6l andv I9.` Obviously, ifthe inner tubular member 1 is not-in;

its fully extended position at the time the hitch connection is being made between the tractor and the trailer, said latch bolt I8, of course, is not engaged in either of the openings I6 or 20 as said openings are not in registering alignment with said latch bolt but said bolt is pressed with its end portion l1 in frictional contact with the inner face of the opposed Wall of said inner tubular member 1 under the iniiuence of the spring element 26. However, in whatever position the inner tubular member 1 may be in its extension from said outer tubular member 6, the movement of the inner tubular member to its innermost retracted position may be effected by backward movement of the tractor as just above described.

The construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings is but one practical exemplication of the invention. Therefore, the same may be modied in many respects within the spirit and scope of the appended claim, and the invention is not limited to the construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A device for coupling a trailer to a motor vehicle comprising an out-er member, an inner member slidably mounted within said outer member, means at the outer ends of said members for detachably connecting one to a vehicle and the other to a trailer, said inner member having a said inner member, said outer member having an opening to receive said bolt, said opening being in registry with said slot, said latch bolt extending through said opening and said slot into said inner member, said inner member having spaced openings, one adjacent each end thereof on the side of said member transversely opposite said slot to receive said latch bolt in the retracted and lexpanded position of said coupling, and said outer member having an opening positioned to register with said spaced openings kat said positions.

HAROLD R. FORNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,296,105 Narratil Mar. 4, 1919 2,292,751 Forney Mmww Aug. 11 1942 

